“The world is flat only if you observe it from an airplane window at 30,000 feet.” – Former foreign correspondent Mort Rosenblum, in “Little Bunch of Madmen” Global Journalism in Bologna, Italy Practice working as a foreign correspondent Develop professional stories for your portfolio Have your work considered for university and professional publication June 7 – June 22, 2019 Syllabus and Schedule Program Overview Benvenuti! Get ready for our two-week adventure in one of the world’s greatest cities, where you’ll have a chance to practice working as a foreign correspondent. Our challenge: to get a taste of the life of a foreign correspondent, while developing stories you 2 can feature in your professional portfolio, and publish. Working with University of Bologna master’s candidates in interpretation and translation, students will be organized into teams, and will have an opportunity to write and shoot a story of their choice. You’ll be invited to ask: Who lives in Bologna? What are the Bolognese thinking, dreaming and worrying about? What defines this city, and how can we best tell its story? Classes will meet weekday mornings, around two modules: basic Italian, and international reporting. After lunch, you’ll put your morning studies into action: you’ll go out reporting in teams, accompanied by your interpreters, and sometimes by your professor or assignment organizer (who will revolve among the teams). Arrival weekend will be devoted to orientation, and to local excursions and visits within the city. Your second weekend – Friday and Saturday – will be free for travel within Italy. On Sunday, June 16, we’ll participate in the “Grand Tour Appennino 2019” – a great highlight of this project, where you’ll learn about rural life in the nearby Appennini Mountains. You may not leave the country during the program. Learning Outcomes You’ll learn about: How to work as a foreign correspondent How to tell stories through written and visual journalism How to work as a member of a team How to navigate in Italian culture How to work with an interpreter What kinds of stories professional publications want most The political, cultural and historical influences that have shaped today’s Italy Enroll in the JMS Global Media Specialization This course counts toward the JMS specialization in Global Media. Undergraduate students who pass three qualifying courses can have the Global Media specialization noted on their degree. Other courses in the specialization are Gender, Race and Class in the Media; Global News; and 3 International Media. All JMS courses that take place partly or entirely abroad, such as Media and Struggles for Democracy, which travels to Guatemala; Global Media Abroad, which visits Paris and London; and Writing the Mediterranean, which takes students on reporting trips to Italy, Spain and Turkey, also qualify. To learn more about the specialization https://comminfo.rutgers.edu/academics/undergraduate/journalism-and-media-studies- major/curriculum/specializations and to enroll, please see an advisor in the SC&I advising office. The Faculty PROF. MARY D’AMBROSIO (International reporting/program director) [email protected] LUIGI VALERI (Program organizer) [email protected] CULTURA ITALIANA (TBA) [email protected] The City Elegant Bologna is known as “la dotta,” for knowledge, “la grassa,” for its extraordinary food, and “la rossa,” for its leftist politics. This gorgeous university city is magnificently located in one of Italy’s most exciting regions, with Florence, Venice, Rome, Milan, the Italian lakes and the Adriatic coast all a short train or bus ride away. The surrounding Emilia Romagna region is also well worth exploring: it’s home to some of Italy’s top food destinations and restaurants; to the luxury car empires of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati; and to the sophisticated Renaissance cities of Parma, Ferrara and Ravenna, known for their palaces, artistic heritage and bike-friendly medieval lanes. Field Trip On June 13, we’ll take a working field trip to nearby Ravenna, to see the city’s famous mosaics, and to report and photograph in the city. The Assignments Working in teams, you’ll be assigned a story of your choice, and will develop it under the guidance of program faculty. Each story should include 1) a reported and written piece of up to 1,500 words, which incorporates four to six interviews; 2) three to six captioned photographs, or a video of up to three minutes, to help you tell your story; and 3) social media features and hyperlinks, as appropriate. You’ll read two books, and several articles, which we’ll discuss during the program. Please feel free to consider these assignments minimums. You may also wish to blog, to post on social media and/or to write articles for student or professional publications back home. 4 Books and Materials Please purchase, and/or print out and bring, the following materials: Books “The Italians” by John Hooper (any edition) “La Bella Figura: A Field Guide to the Italian Mind” by Beppe Severgnini (any edition) Please have both books read by June 18. Article Course Pack Please print out these articles, bring them with you, and have them read by June 10. Correspondents may no longer be central to what we learn about the world; the new foreign reporting http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/12/oxford-study-whats-the-future-of-foreign-reporting/ (no need to buy the report; just print the summary) The correspondent is dead, long live the correspondent http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/dec/08/long-live-the-foreign-correspondent No more reporting behind readers’ backs http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/weekinreview/15GIRIDHARADAS.html Is it true people aren’t interested in foreign reporting? By Maria Balinska http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/102449/A-Former-BBC-Producer-Takes-a-Fresh- Look-at-Foreign-News-Its-the-Audience-Stupid.aspx Bring a small Italian-English dictionary, such as Langenscheidt’s Universal Dictionary, or download a dictionary or translation app. Class Meeting Site and Times Classes will meet at: Eastern College Consortium (ECCO) Via Delle Moline, 2 Bologna Tel: (39) 051-221-146 Getting from the dorm to class: ECCO is about a 15-minute walk from your lodgings. Please refer to the map on the right. Classes will run Monday through Thursday, 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and comprise two modules: Italian Language and Culture (Offered by a Cultura Italiana professor). Basic conversational Italian. Meeting and greeting; conversational and business phrases; using the phone; social and journalism etiquette; Bologna topics and controversies. International Reporting (Prof. Mary D’Ambrosio). You’ll get on-the-ground training in how foreign correspondents find, report, develop and write their stories; about how reporting in Italy differs from reporting in the United States; and about the most effective ways to communicate with audiences back home. You’ll also learn how to work with interpreters, and how to incorporate photographs or video, and social media features, into your work. In the afternoons, you’ll go out to report your stories, with your team members and your interpreter. Your professor will rotate among student teams. Feel free to assist other teams with their stories, or to join another group when yours doesn’t have an interview scheduled. There’s no limit to the number of stories you can tackle: consider your group’s main assignment a minimum. Deadlines and Practices Students must attend all classes, and are expected to complete all assignments. All assignments must be turned in on deadline, unless your professor approves an extension. Students may not miss, or arrive late to, any classes. Two or more missed classes can lower your grade by a full letter. The only reason to miss class is for a medical emergency or illness, or – only with permission of your professor – if you have a conflicting assignment that could not be scheduled for another time. All stories must be followed by source lists, and source contact details. It goes without saying that we: 1) Don’t make up characters or amend quotes 2) Don’t copy or plagiarize, meaning take printed material from elsewhere and use it in your story without crediting it. Any fabrication or plagiarism is grounds for an “F” in the course. Grades 60 percent of your grade will be determined by the quality of your project; 25 percent by your performance in the two course modules (Italian language and culture, and international 6 reporting); and 15 percent by the quality of the two Facebook posts you’ll be assigned to write about something you’ve learned. Assignment Percent of Grade Due Article, with photographs or video 60 percent Draft: June 19, 11:55 p.m. Final: June 30, 11:55 p.m. In-class work (including readings, participation & attendance) 25 percent Two Facebook posts to the Global Journalism in Bologna page 15 percent Generally, the grading standards are: A= Excellent! The work is publishable with only minor changes. B+ = Well-written, with appropriate use of facts. The article may need additional material, but is free of factual errors, and has no more than three grammar or punctuation errors. B = Generally good work. Solid writing, but the lead needs work and the story may need more research and detail. C+ = Acceptable. Awkward phrasing and numerous syntax, grammar or punctuation errors that distract from the article's strengths. More reporting may also be needed. C = Average. Multiple organizational, writing and/or reporting problems. Contains factual errors or insufficient information. Many spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Unimaginative or trite content. D = Poor work. Shows minimal or no effort. F= Completely unacceptable. Academic Conduct Disruptive classroom behavior (including arriving late and not completing assigned readings and exercises) or engaging in plagiarism will seriously jeopardize your standing in this class.